The Year of Moving Forward

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Defending my Opinions...Responding to Letters

I hope everyone had as wonderful a Christmas Day as I did. Christmas here, Christmas there, Christmas all around.

Today the world returns to normal. Not that we can't continue to enjoy the holidays and the good feelings that they bring us. But serious blogging resumes, and of course, that is what makes the world go 'round. Now, somebody is going to take that serious, and comment how big-headed and misguided I am. If that's what they think, oh well. They are probably of the misguided koolaid drinker type that continue to check out this site. They are welcome, they might become enlightened.

Take for instance Dr. Doug Smith of Bessemer. He recently responded to my column questioning president Bush from December 12 in The Western Tribune.For those who do not read the Tribune, here is Dr. Doug Smith's letter:

In response to the Joe Openshaw left wing, liberal Democratic way of thinking (Dec. 12 column, "Counting time left for George Bush"), I would like to respond.In rebuttal to Openshaw's conclusions about Iran and North Korea he obviously only read a little of the report. Iran can restart its nuclear weapon program and produce an atomic weapon within one year.They only need the nuclear nmaterial which they are producing as I write this. They didn't have weapons grade material in 2003, but they are producing. If Mr. Openshaw thinks that Iran is not a threat to the rest if the Free World then he is misguided.If he really is concerned that the psychopath that rules North Korea might not believe President Bush's diplomatic efforts, then he thinks exactly the opposite of most of the world.Why should anyone trust North Korea when they have broken every treaty that they have signed.If anyone thinks that that psychopath who has starved over a million of his people is not a dnager to the rest of the world has their head in the sand or somewhere else.As far as misleading the American people in the Iraq war Openshaw evidently doesn't remember Kuwait or all the Resolutions of the United Nations that Saddam Hussein failed to comply with or the money he paid to the families of terrorist bombers who killed Americans or the intelligence gathered by our allies.I guess Openshaw thinks like John Kerry that the UN and diplomatic talking would have won the heart and mind of Saddam.Mr. Openshaw, you and your mentors, Kerry, Ted Kennedy, Charles Schumer, Barbara Boxer, Diane Feinstein, Hillary Clinton and other liberal Democrats are the biggest danger to this country, NOT President Bush. You are entitled to your ridiculous opinion but that don't (sic) make you right. Mr. Openshaw are you kin to Neville Chamberlain?Dr. Doug SmithBessemerWhere do I start? I guess at the beginning. Dr. Smith (oh, by the way, Doc, I'm a Dr. too but you did not offend me by calling me Mr.) pays me a compliment, referring to my left wing liberal way of thinking. Thank you!

According to the "the report" Iran is continuing to produce enriched uranium, for civilian purposes. This is not weapons grade material. Learn a little, Dr. Smith. The report goes on to say that if they used the uranium to produce a weapon, it would take until the middle of the next decade. Not next year. Try seven years.

And I never said Iran was not a threat. My concern was the way Bush is dealing with the threat, by threatening war (WWIII), and lying to promote his cause. Read about the report here .

President Bush is not respected in the world, that is a fact. Even the Brits are falling away. A survey from last year shows that "only 14 percent of those surveyed supported the view that Britain should “pursue a foreign policy agenda closer to that of the United States;” 45 percent believed that “Britain should position her foreign policy closer to that of the European Union.” Research Europe

That article sources several other polls that show sour attitudes of the British people with U.S. policy.

So Dr. Smith, if our closest ally is in disagreement with us, do you really think the rest of the world loves us. Travel abroad, listen to people.

But, I also never said North Korea was not a threat to the United States or the rest of the world. I made no comments regarding their leader or supporting their leader. It was our leader George W. Bush that I was critical of. Don't accuse me of not thinking rogue nations are a threat to our security. But let's deal with them in ways that might get results, while at the same time restoring our standing in the world.

What does Kuwait have to do with our current war in Iraq? Nothing. Quit trying to spin.

Dr. Smith brings up Saddam's payment of money to "families of terrorist bombers who killed Americans." Yes, he paid money to families of Palestinian suicide bombers, and I admit, I am not sure if any Americans were killed in any of the bombings that Saddam paid money for. But I am sure that Saudi Arabia also pays money to suicide bobmers, and they are on of our "allies." (Yeah right). When are we going to invade them?

As for the intelligence gathered by our allies, why even bring that up. It was just as faulty as our own.

And as for my ancestry, I do have roots in Britian, but Neville Chamberlain is not on our family tree.

Here's another letter from last week's paper:

How can you allow such seditious material in your fine newspaper? Joe Openshaw doesn't have a clue about the truth.Harvey WhiteHueytownMy response to Mr. White is that rebellion is needed in this country. And it will come in the form of an election in November 2008.

It doesn't bother me at all that The Western Tribune prints letters about my columns with opposing viewpoints. A conversation is much more interesting when it involves two or more people. I just wish those who opposed me watched the news and understood world events, rather than just drinking the toxic Republican (Fox News) koolaid.

If anyone would like to respond to the paper about my column or the letters, you can submit letters to the editor (300 word limit) thewesterntrib@bellsouth.net, fax to 205-428-0015, or mail to 1530 3rd Ave. N., Bessemer, AL 35020.